High Adventures in the Great Outdoors

Bands and Flannel

Ah, the good ole flannel shirt – what would bands spurned from the advent of the grunge scene in Seattle and underground music at large from the mid-90ies have had to dress up in without it?

Be it what it may, the flannel shirt is one of the most versatile staples one could have in his wardrobe as it lends itself perfectly well for layering as well as to carve through colder climates. It can even be paired with more formal accessories to be worn in a casual business context. Summa summarum, the flannel is a dependable allrounder that takes one from season to season.

However, there are subtle difference when it comes to the manufacturing and branding. While the flannel is being adopted and reinterpreted on an ongoing basis by every demographic and subculture imaginable from punks to hypebeast, I have come to appreciate subtle nuances that make it resilient in tough environments yet stylish enough to wear on a date.

In essence, my main criterion is for flannels to be adaptable to serve as light jackets as well as on their own and that’s where Dixxon appeared on my radar.

What intrigued me about Dixxon was their affiliation with punk rock and hardcore when I was first introduced to their collaboration with Hatebreed, which resulted in a customised flannel.

Inspired by skate, punk / hardcore and motorcycle culture, and since its inception has refined its approach to creating their version of a flannel, i.e. one that fits well and does not shrink and fade after a couple of washes, which was achieved through their signature D-Tech proprietary fabric.

Being on the taller end of the height spectrum, I have come to appreciate Dixxon accommodating with longer body and sleeve lengths as well as hidden collar-stay buttons to keep the collar held in place and a box pleat for better range of motion and extra comfort in the chest, back, and shoulders without affecting the size or fit.

Subtle details like a microfiber cloth inside the bottom left corner to easily clean your glasses, or devices, without affecting the look or design as well as a hanging loop just above the neck label for easy hanging on most racks and hooks complement the picture with the mitered edge on the chest pockets and cuff ends being the cream on top of the cherry as it results in a tailored and designer finish.

Dixxon’s most recent punk and hardcore related limited release is a wonderful collaboration with Venice’s Suicidal Tendencies, which we recently covered.

The shirt design is based on the collation of show flyers and the way it is put together manages to expertly balance the chasm of exciting the dedicated hardcore aficionado as well as the uninitiated.

Needless to say, Dixxon has branched out into creating other gear as well with specifically their jacket range being not only affordable but a level of sturdiness and durability that most other contemporary labels cannot compete with, without ever losing its stylish touch.

I am looking forward to Dixxon’s upcoming band collaborations and how they are going to marry the respective band’s style with their idiosyncratic approach to creating quality apparel.

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images from company website